International Day of Peace

June 13, 2016 6:51 PM |
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The MGCC Success Story – State of Rhode Island House of Representatives passes the ‘International Day of Peace’ motion on June 1 2016.

By NIKITA P. PANJWANIJUNE 07, 2016

Another feather in the cap for the India Association of Rhode Island! On June 1 2016, a resolution passed during the January session of the House General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, to “recognize and observe September 21 2016 as the ‘International Day of Peace’”, is one to take great delight and pride in, as this is a testimony to the success and impetus of the Mahatma Gandhi Cultural Centre initiative, started by the IARI. Due to the tireless efforts of Dr. Amrut Patel, Mr Tushar Patel along with House Representative Mr. Robert B. Lancia, September 21 2016, will now be observed with activities and ceremonies as seeming fit to promote and foster, the spirit, culture and reality of nonviolence, as envisioned by the ‘Great Soul’ Mahatma Gandhi, who is fondly remembered as the ‘Father of the Nation’.

Early this year, the India Association started the Mahatma Gandhi Cultural Centre initiative, designed to consolidate and mobilize the efforts and resources of the organization towards spreading the message and principals of Mahatma Gandhi, primarily those of nonviolence (ahimsa), courageousness, righteousness, vigor, parity and truthfulness. Of these, what stands out is ahimsa, also called the principal of nonviolence, which Gandhiji adopted as the way of his life, and on the strength of which led India onto the path of independence from foreign occupation. Such was his influence, that almost a decade after his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, in one of his papers heralded that the Gandhian spirit speaks to the ‘conscience’ of the world and the way to end racial segregation in America (Papers 4:355).

IARI is making concerted efforts by organizing memorials, recitations and education sessions and seminars to propagate the underlying message of peace and cessation of festering hostility - that now rules much of our daily lives in one unseen form or the other so profoundly that its effects are, almost tangible. IARI hopes to continue to traverse unfailingly onto this path and the mission that it has undertaken and promises that ‘Ahimsa’ will be the core underlying motto based on which all future events, celebrations, initiatives and fun-filled activities will be organized.

King, ‘‘His Influence Speaks to World Conscience,’’ 30 January 1958, in Papers4:354–355.